The Changeling
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Movie Reviews of The Changeling
Movie Review: Classic Well Made Scary Ghost Story
Summary: 5 Stars
The Changeling is not a Horror Film, it is a good old fashioned Ghost Story that is done so very well. The film, for its somewhat low-budget and minimal use of Hollywood stars, except for Scott, has managed to transcend all of its restrictions into an almost Oscar winning vehicle and yet still remains independent in look and feel to give it that cult vintage appeal.The music, set design, script and acting are all on top form however the cinematography is what makes this film stand out. Nowhere since Rosemary's Baby has a house looked so creepy and yet still remained homely at the same time. What is upstairs in this house is the kind of the place that you would never want to visit with a group, yet Scott goes up there by himself alone. Most other films of this type do silly things like putting people in haunted places when obviously they would run away in two second flat but Scott is a BIG MAN and looks tough. He could probably walk down any alley in the world unscathed. So Scott is free to roam his house and live there on his own. The audience does not disbelieve it for one second and this is why the film manages to transcend many for its type. It is that kind of eye of direction and storytelling that makes Peter Medak's little haunted house tale really shine.
This film has it down-pat in atmosphere and haunting ambiance. It does scare. Just make sure that you turn off the lights and watch this one late for full impact. Watching this one during the day almost had me walking around the house looking behind doors and jumping a mile into the air when frozen icicles broke off the roof and landed on my windowsill.
The premise is good - John Russell (Scott) a music professor and composer, loses his wife and family in a terrible accident. Seeking consolation, he moves into an old mansion vacant for twelve years, but a child ghost occurrence seems to be sharing the house with him. The ghost is trying to tell him something. Russell investigates the house's history and discovers a horrific secret.
This movie is in the same vein as What Lies Beneath (2000), Others, The (2001) and Ring, The (2002) but is done so much better. If you like to watch intelligent "horror" or a really good Ghost Story yarn then hands down this is what you need. Even though it was made in 1980 it is still bloody scary and tops many a scare movie list.
Go on - I Dare You to Watch It.
Movie Review: It's the scariest movie I've ever seen.
Summary: 5 Stars
It's become a classic chiller that no collection should do without. It's THE CHANGELING. While on vacation in upstate New York with his wife Joanna and daughter Kathy, music composer John Russell's car breaks down and the group is forced to tug their car through the snow to a pay phone. While John makes a call, his wife and daughter decide to have a snowball fight. Suddenly, a mack truck rips through the icey landscape and directly into the two, killing them instantly.
A little while later, John decides he must move out of his house due to many memories that make him depressed beyond belief. With the help of Claire Norman, a worker at the local historical society, he finds an old mansion to rent out and continue to compose.
Then things get frightening. Each day, very early, there is a sound of pipes clanking throught the house. He tries to compose but finds it hard still. Then, he starts to play a song. A lullaby. He plays it seemingly perfectly. When he exits the room, a key is struck on the piano-but no one is in there. Things get out of hand when John sees a vision of a little boy drowning in a bathtub.
While about to take a walk outside, John is startled by a rock thrown out of a window of the attic. A room that he had no idea about. He goes up there to find a bunch of stuff. Including a music box. The music box plays the same lullaby that he played days earlier.
He and Claire decide that maybe a medium could come to the house and see what's what. Then they find out what exactly is in the house and how to stop it....
RECCOMENDED TO FANS OF:
The Haunting (1960)
The Innocents (1963)
The Amityville Horror (1979)
CAST
George C. Russell
Trish Van Devere........Claire Norman
Melvyn Joseph 'Joe' Carmichel
THE MOVIE: 4/4
THE PICTURE QUALITY: 9.5/10: This classic movie is presented in 1.77:1 Letterbox and is enhanced for 16X9 TVs. Some very few specs, but basically unnoticable.
THE AUDIO QUALITY: 8/10: Presented in Dolby Digital Surround, 2.0. It's seemingly perfect for my tv's sound system.
THE SPECIAL FEATURE: is a very extensive cast & crew filmography sheet. Very well made. Though, I would have liked to have seen the trailer or listened to the commentary available on the Region 2 edition.
SUBTITLES: English, Spanish and French.
Movie Review: Whatever you do...DON'T GO INTO THE ATTIC!!
Summary: 5 Stars
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A man named John Russell (George C. Scott) moves into a house. House turns out to be haunted. Boring, right? Well, to my surprise, NO!
This movie is based on events experienced by a real-life writer (named Russell Hunter) while he was living in a mansion.
The story turns into a supernatural who-done-it (or supernatural mystery) which I found intriguing and intellectually stimulating. You have to watch and listen carefully to follow this mystery. The key to unlocking this mystery is to know the meaning of the word "changeling."
To be sure, there's enough physical action to satisfy thrill seekers. There's a creepy séance session, disturbing flashbacks, morbid discoveries, and one pi**ed-off wheelchair. (For me personally, I was never frightened by all this but a creepy atmosphere was well-developed.)
The writers could have gone over-the-top with this movie but they never did. It takes time to develop Russell's character and the movie as a whole communicates true emotions.
This is a George C. Scott movie. He gives an interesting and memorable performance. (In fact, Scott won a Genie award for his performance.) I have to also give credit to veteran actor Melvyn Douglas who plays a senator with a horrible secret.
There is another character in this movie that's not recognized in the end credits. It's the haunted house itself! This eerie house is used to its fullest: creepy hallways, whispers, slamming doors...its presence is always felt.
The background musical score blends in with the movie's eerie images.
Note that the pace of this movie is slow for today's quick-fix crowd but those with patience will be rewarded.
Finally, the DVD itself (the one released in 2000) is perfect in picture and sound quality. It has one disappointing extra.
In conclusion, this is a rare gem of a movie, best described as a supernatural who-done-it. And don't forget, watch out for that angry wheelchair!!!
(1979; 1 hr, 47 min; wide screen; 16 scenes; rated 'R')
<<Stephen Pletko, London, Ontario, Canada>>
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Movie Review: Be Prepared To Lose A Little Sleep If You Dare Watch This...
Summary: 5 Stars
Ok...honestly. I've seen a lot of movies...especially horror movies, and I've never had one affect me like this one did. On the recommendation of my father, I watched it for the first time about 4 years ago...at night, of course (like a dummy).George C. Scott is amazing in this film...and the tragedy that befalls him in the film's opening sequence is sure to suck you right in. Following this, Scott is forced to make a single life for himself and he moves into an extremely large and historic house to compose and teach music. The house is a character in itself...perhaps one of the creepiest I have ever seen (the night scene of Scott walking across the front yard still chills me...very, very spooky). As another reviewer mentioned, the house is so vast that it is unimaginable to think of ONE person occupying it. Well, in this case, it's actually one person...and one supernatural murdered boy who has one heck of a story to tell. I don't want to tell that story...but it will be revealed to you sure enough if you can make it through the unrelenting and horrific duration of this film.
But not to give away too much...Certain scenes in the film chilled me to the very bone (the seance scene, the quest for the leaky faucet sound, and many more.) Just when I thought I had survived it...the scenes kept coming...scaring the breath out of me. In a nutshell...if you are bothered by ghosts, darkness, ghostly voices, or anything paranormal...you WILL without a doubt be scared stiff by this one. I had trouble sleeping for at least 3 or 4 nights...and I was about 22 at the time.
The film makes excellent use of camera angles and movement, darkness, and sound effects...in essence scaring you with what you can't see but know is there. The music is also extremely unsettling at times. But enough said...the only true way to understand the horror of this film is to experience it. BUT BEWARE...YOU WERE WARNED.
I am almost 28 now, and still would not sit alone in my living room at night and watch this...unless I felt like forcing a little case of insomnia. EXCELLENT FILM THOUGH...A MUST SEE!
IF YOU CAN TAKE IT.
THANKS.
Movie Review: Thoughtful, Thinking Man's Ghost Film
Summary: 5 Stars
Paul Medak's "The Changeling(1980)" is one of the best horror films to be made that decade as well as one of the best Hollywood Ghost stories ever told. Unfortunately, the film is virtually forgotten and rarely referenced outside of aficionados who always give this film rave reviews. However, this film is good enough to work well outside of the realms of Horror fandom to rank as good film-making in general.
The film tells the story of a man(George C. Scott) who is recovering from the loss of his wife and daughter by moving into an old house by himself. Soon upon arriving he is beset by ghostly sounds and occurences that get increasingly more eerie as the film progresses. He eventually discovers a hidden room within the house that contains a terrible secret and thus begins a fine mystery where the audience is as much the detective as Scott is.
"The Changeling" benefits largely from an intelligent and thought provoking script that is both emotional as it is terrifying, as complex as it is intriguing. There are twists for sure but they are carefully built and the pay off is something else.
The acting is uniformly fine by a cast of professionals led by Scott, Trish Van Devere(Mrs. Scott in real life")as a woman that aids Scott in the mystery and Melvyn Douglas in one of his last roles as a politician with a shady past.(Douglas' film debut was a horror film:James Whale's "The Old Dark House(1932)")
Medak really handles the film's scares adequately focusing more on the power of suggestion that more visceral terror and the movie becomes that much more terrifying because of that choice. Not that all scares are within the mind as the film has some excellently concieved jump scares and a particularly exciting climax.
The seance segment is in particular a classic Horror scene not to be missed!
The film is a must for the Horror fan and for anyone who enjoys a good mystery and a decent scare. The DVD is bargain priced and highly reccomended for intellectual viewers who prefer they're Horror coupled with intelligence.